Opelousas Lighthouse Mission plans to grow

Residents of the Lighthouse Mission stand as fellow resident Kurtwood Carter addresses the audience at Friday's Lunch for Lighthouse held at the Opelousas Civic Center. See a photo gallery at dailyworld.com.(Photo: Freddie Herpin, Daily World)Buy Photo

It has been a banner year for the Lighthouse Mission, an Opelousas men’s homeless shelter, but its operators plan much more in the next three to five years.

Director Johnny Carriere told hundreds of participants at Friday’s “Lunch for Lighthouse” gathering that the facility doubled its capacity last year and expects to double again in the coming years.

“Our objective is to eliminate homelessness by allowing our clients to become self-sufficient,” Carriere said.

The shelter regularly tests its residents for alcohol and drug use, offers counselors to provide guidance, hosts regular Bible studies and even provides rides to and from jobs.

“In the past year we have housed 175 men and served 35,000 meals to our residents and more to families in need. Sixty percent of our clients have become self-sufficient and are now on their own,” Carriere said. “The heart behind our mission is the gospel. We give God the glory.”

The shelter at 704 W. South St. can house 32 men. Carriere said the need is much greater.

“We have more than 40 applicants a month. We currently only have space for 35 percent of our applicants. It just breaks our heart to tell these people we can’t help you, you have to sleep on the street,” he said.

To relieve the situation, Carriere told supporters at the luncheon that the mission has a three-phase plan.

In the coming year, the first phase will significantly expand the facility’s shower and bathroom facilities.

“Since we increased our bed capacity by 50 percent that has become a problem,” Carriere said.

A local architect has designed the facility, which is estimated to cost about $180,000. But he predicted that it will cost much less with donations of materials from the local business community and labor supplied by some of the residents.

After that will come a new main facility that would allow the shelter to assist 70 men at a time. Once that building is up, Carriere said he wants to turn the current building into transitional housing for clients who are moving from the shelter into homes of their own.

Those phases are still a few years off. Carriere declined to even guess at the cost, although he expressed confidence the money will come through.

“I’m blown away by the support we are receiving. This is a very generous community,” said Carriere, who added that more than 40 area churches of all denominations work to make the shelter’s mission possible.

One of the residents who will be helping to building the new shower complex is Kirk Wood Carter, better known as KC, who has worked as brick mason in the past. “He’s an incredible worker,” Carriere said.

KC shared his own story of hope with the audience.

He called his seven months at the Lighthouse Mission a wonderful blessing.

“This is a good place to get your mind right,” KC said. “I’m a serious alcoholic. I don’t know what I would do without it. I’d probably be back in prison.”

He is now sober with a job in addition to his work around the shelter.

“I’m here to make myself better and help anyway I can,” KC said. “I’m proud to be here.”

He has also found religious faith.

“I’ve changed myself completely. I give all the glory to God. It was been a wonderful journey and it has just begun,” KC said.

To make a little money and keep the shelter’s clients busy, the Lighthouse Mission also operates its own garden. It helps feed the clients and raises a little money though sales at the local farmers market.

KC loves that garden, where he oversees the chili peppers. “They produce a lot of peppers,” KC said of his plants. As a gift, he had placed a jar of pickled peppers are each table for the visitors to enjoy.

“If you like them, come on by and visit the mission,” KC said to a standing ovation from the crowd.

If anyone would like to help the Lighthouse’s mission, it can be reached at 337-948-8865 or online at www.olmission.org.